In recent decades, dark tourism—also known as thanatourism—has sparked intense academic debate that extends well beyond the field of tourism research. The concept has captivated the attention of the social sciences and journalism alike. Thanatourism (from the Greek word Thanatos, meaning death) refers to travel to sites associated with mass death, suffering, disaster, or the macabre. These locations present a unique form of dissonant heritage that challenges future generations to reflect. This book is a curated literature overview that aims to provide meaningful answers to the questions of what dark tourism is and what motivates visitors to these sites.

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Maximiliano E. Korstanje is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Palermo, Argentina. He is a cultural theorist who has studied the mobilities theory, tourism, migration, terrorism, and political violence in Western democracies. He has extensively written and published papers and books.